Help me Pay Final Year Fee: An Indian Medico’s SOS From Russia

M S Rajashekar, a final year Indian medical student in Russia is worried a lot that he may not be able to complete his MBBS degree programme if his parents fail to arrange 5.6 lakh funds to pay his final year fee pending over the last one year.

Last week the  Stavropol State Medical University barred the Chennai student from taking exams citing pending dues since the beginning of the academic year in 2022. 

His father Shanmugha Sundaram who earns thirty thousand rupees a month working for a shipping company sold their family property in 2017 to send him to this Russian medical school after Raja cracked NEET the mandatory entrance exam for medical admission but didn’t have enough score to get admission in a government medical college. This seemed a manageable option then, than joining a prohibitively expensive private medical college in India.

While over the last five years, the family managed to secure loans and contributions from public to pay his fees, over the last year they received too little help and hence the crisis. “If I don’t take these exams now, I’d have to study for another year. We just can’t afford that. We need help to clear these 5.6 lakh dues”, said Rajasekhar in Russia. 

Recently the worried father was seen begging near a temple in Chennai’s Mylapore area carrying a box with the message “Help my son pay his final year MBBS fee”. He said, “I’ve taken away my Provident Fund and all other advances and I get only Rs 10000 in hand which is sufficient to just run the family “.

Dr Najeerul Ameen, Director of the Selection Committee of Indian and Asian Students for Stavropol University, said: “The University gave him a full year to pay. They are compassionate. This is the action any university would have taken. We hope Rajasekhar’s family gets help . We are trying to help him”.

In Russia, Rajasekhar has done well in studies, scoring close to 70 to 80 percent in most subjects. 

Asked why he chose to pursue medicine in Russia despite his family’s economic challenges, Rajashekhar said: “My dream is to build a hospital, which would provide treatment to people who can’t afford it. I also want to provide education to children who don’t have their parents’ support.”

Rajasekhar is from Chennai’s Kolathur assembly constituency represented by Chief Minister M K Stalin. The family hopes the Chief Minister would take note of his plight and help him return home as a qualified doctor.

If you’d like to contribute to helping the young medico, here are the bank details of his mother. 

Name: Raji Bai 

Bank: Indian Bank

Account, No: 704786957

IFSC Code : IDIB000K126

Branch : KOLATHUR (1212)

Mobile No : +918056066143